CHIEF Secretary to the Government, Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar, has hinted that the upcoming Madani Budget 2026 will contain “good news” not only for civil servants but also for the broader Malaysian public.
“Certainly, there will be good news... but I cannot reveal it just yet,” he told reporters on Thursday.
“For the civil servants, for the people — this is a caring, responsible Madani government,” he added after officiating the 4th National Conference on Governance, Integrity and Anti-Corruption.
Budget 2026 is scheduled to be tabled by Prime Minister and Finance Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in the Dewan Rakyat on 10 October.
Expectations are mounting, particularly among civil servants, after the Congress of Unions of Employees in the Public and Civil Services (CUEPACS) recently urged the government to consider reintroducing a one-month salary bonus — a move last implemented in 2012.
CUEPACS president Datuk Dr Adnan Mat argued that the bonus would reflect the government’s appreciation for public service contributions amid rising living costs.
Alongside budget expectations, the government is advancing a broader reform agenda aimed at enhancing governance and accountability within the public sector.
In his opening speech at the same conference, Shamsul Azri outlined a series of new legislative measures introduced under the Public Service Reform Agenda (ARPA), which is focused on integrity and fiscal responsibility.
Among the most significant is the Fiscal Responsibility Act, which is designed to safeguard national finances against leakages and mismanagement.
In addition, amendments to the Audit Act 1957 will now allow the National Audit Department to adopt a ‘follow the public money’ approach, enabling scrutiny of government-linked companies (GLCs) and other entities receiving public financial guarantees.
“These legal reforms form part of a wider push to ensure that public funds are managed prudently and transparently,” he said.
The Chief Secretary's comments come as the government continues to emphasise clean governance and accountability as pillars of economic sustainability under the Madani administration. - September 18, 2025
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